Sexual assault case: Kerala actor Siddique moves Supreme Court seeking interim bail

Sexual assault case: Kerala actor Siddique moves Supreme Court seeking interim bail

Known Malayalam actor Siddique moved on wednesday Supreme Court who is seeking interim bail in the case of sexual assault of actress after the Kerala High Court on Tuesday refused to grant a remedy. An FIR was filed against him in August.

An FIR has been filed against Siddique in connection with allegations of sexual abuse by an actress in August this year.

Siddique had resigned as Secretary General of Association of Malayalam Film Actors (AMMA) after the actress made the incriminating allegations.

HEMA COMMISSION REPORT RESULTS

The allegation was made by the actress after the release of the Hema Commission report, which exposed widespread sexual harassment and exploitation in the Malayalam film industry. Currently, a circular has been issued at airports to prevent the actor from fleeing the country. According to police sources, his current whereabouts are unknown and his phones have been switched off. Siddique was not found at his residences in Padamugal, Kakkanad or Aluva, where his house was reportedly locked. The Kochi police have been directed by the Crime Branch chief to go ahead with the arrest.

THE DEFENSE

Siddique, in his petition in the Kerala HC, which dismissed his anticipatory plea, alleged that the complainant woman, who is an ardent supporter and member of Women’s Cinema Collective (WCC), is making these allegations because he was conducting the press meet along with other officials of the Association of Malayalam Movie Actors (AMMA) after the release of the Justice Hema Committee report denying the allegations against top actors. Actor Siddique also pointed out that the same complainant had levelled some allegations against him in 2019, but she had now changed the details with a view to getting him booked for non-bailable offences.